


A Moment's Respite

by Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Other, comforting!Spike, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 04:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29620524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89/pseuds/Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89
Summary: These are the moments that help you survive the darkness that threatens to keep you.
Relationships: Spike/Reader, Spike/You
Kudos: 4





	A Moment's Respite

**Author's Note:**

> written for Any Fandom Goes bingo

“You’re thinking of her again, aren’t you?” You hated how plaintive your voice sounded, wished you had the strength of will to leave. It would be so easy, to just turn away, float back through the closed door. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t easy at all. Leaving him was always the hardest thing to do. 

“Of course not, luv. Haven’t in quite a while now, actually.” Didn’t even ask who you meant, didn’t need to. Spike turned away from the window, a soft smile gracing his lips as he looked over at you. “Not since you showed back up at my doorstep, though she had already started to fade long before you first slipped away from me, ducks. You were gone longer this time; it’s getting worse, isn’t it?”

You strode across the room towards him as he settled himself down on his bed, his arm sweeping out across the mattress and reaching out pointlessly for you. You laid down carefully, focusing your energy so as not to sink through the bed, the floor, everything. Leaving was always easy. It was the staying that was hard. Harder because you wanted it so badly. You were so tired of always having to fight tooth and claw for what you wanted. 

Stretching out beside him, you turned your head to look him over. His cheeks were hollower than they were the last time you were here, skin slightly stretched over bone, eyes shadowed in darkness. He must have taken it harder this time, given in to the sorrow you knew overtook him when you were gone for too long. You reached out tentatively, your hand hovering over his skin, aching to feel him beneath your fingertips.

“You know, I always thought Hell would be fire, nothing but scorching heat and searing pain. Had built myself up for it. The reality of it is so much worse.” You swallowed hard around the lump rising in your throat, not wanting to further burden him with your torment but knowing he wouldn’t let you bear it alone. “It’s so cold and empty. All alone, surrounded by an eternity of nothingness. God, Spike, I don’t know how long I’ll last next time. It gets harder to fight it each time I get pulled back.”

“I know, I know, sweetheart. But it’s not Hell, pet, it’s limbo. Been there too, remember?” Spike turned onto his side to face you and you wished you could feel the cool puffs of air falling from his lips as he spoke, his voice soft and cooing as he tried to comfort you. “We’re all tryin’ to work on gettin’ you back to us, luv, back to me. ‘S just taking a bit longer than I’d hoped for Fred to figure it out. Oh, dove, you’ve been so amazing, so strong. So bloody brave. We’ll find a way to get you back to me, I promise you. Won’t let ‘em give up till I’ve got my arms wrapped around you once more. Then we’ll sniff out what trapped you between the realms in the first place, petal, and give ‘em a right taste of their own little Hell. Hmm?”

You nodded and spared him a small smile, sniffling softly as you fought back the tears you felt pricking the corners of your eyes. Already, you could feel the tug, some unseen force trying to pull you back to that dark, lifeless place. You would fight it as long as you could to stay here beside him. Needed to. Needed to be in his presence, as much as he needed to be in yours, to know you both still existed, in some plane or another. Unable to touch, you settled for curling up alongside him as close as you could manage, wishing once more that you could feel his cool skin as you laid your head on his outstretched arm, your hand cupping his face.

“I know we will. You know I’ve always had faith in you, William.”

You held out until he let himself be lulled into a fitful sleep, lingering only a moment more to memorize his lax features before finally letting yourself be drawn away, back to the pitch black space that would forever fuel your darkest fears. 


End file.
